“The odds of that man getting elected are about as great as John Harrison marrying Billy Faye,” Henry said, to the chuckles of those around him.

Art had just entered the store as he caught the phrase “John Harrison marrying Billy Faye.” He couldn’t believe it. John Harrison was not the marrying kind, having resisted that sacred union for a good 40 years. But he heard the words with his own ears right in Kelly’s Mart and there was no mistaking it.

Paying for the mayonnaise, he hastened to the car.

“Are you sure?” said Harriett, Art’s wife.

“Just as sure as I’m sitting here.”

“Well I’ll be.

After all these years, Billy Faye finally hooked her one.”

Thirty minutes later, getting her hair done, Harriett told Mildred, her hairdresser, the news. There was no way Mildred could keep such a fine morsel of information to herself.

On her break the next hour, Mildred kindly informed Connie, Susan and Betty Lou by way of phone. Connie, who really didn’t much care for Mildred because she was always talking about her kids as if they were some kind of saints, did appreciate the call and told her such.

That evening, she just happened to mention the prospect of this new marriage to a few friends by way of e-mail. Just a few.

One of them happened to be Donna, who just happened to be friends with Billy Faye.

Donna was slightly upset that Billy Faye had not confided in her, but Donna kept her feelings to herself, hoping to be chosen as bridesmaid. Regardless, she called Billy Faye that night, throwing out the line “What’s this I hear about you and John Harrison?”

“Whatever are you talking about?” replied Billy Faye.

“Trying to play dumb” thought Donna, and she dropped the subject.

But it did get Billy Faye thinking.

At

Hank’s Barber Shop the next day, Art shared the news with Hank, who told every patron of the day, one of whom was E. C. Fester, who ran dogs with Junior Tucker, the son of Benson Tucker, who played Bingo every Saturday night, rain or shine, at Nell’s Bingo Parlor down on South Street. The news about John went through them all and ended on the lips of Benson as he shared with Lou Arnold, who usually sat across from him and rarely got to say “Bingo” because by the time he realized it someone else had shouted. He had always been slow like that.

But not so slow he didn’t recognize the value of the news.

Leaving the parlor that night, Lou casually mentioned it to Bentley Brown, who just happened to sit next to none other than John Harrison at church the next day. During the reading of the announcements, Bentley leaned over in the pew and whispered in John’s ear “What’s this I hear about you and Billy Faye?”

John just chuckled, wondering why Bentley was poking fun at him.

But it did get John Harrison thinking.

After church that day, John Harrison and Billy Faye just happened to meet in the same aisle at the grocery store. They just happened to strike up a conversation.

They just happened to get together for coffee that evening. And three years later, Mr. and Mrs. John Harrison just happened to have their first child, a daughter, whom they named “Dominoes.” Wasn’t that a beautiful name?

Rex alphin is a farmer, businessman and contributing columnist for The Tidewater News. His e-mail address is rexalphin@aol.com.